So I have a couple of new barrels for my T/C and one of them is a 375 jdj. I have dreamed of owning this caliber and pistol for many years. Just finally got around to buying one.

I have a hog hunt coming up and want to kill some big hogs. My shots will range anywhere from 20 yards to 100 yards. I just bought some brass and dies that are in the mail and my new RCBS reloading kit is sitting here looking me in the eye asking to be used.

So give it to me bigbore fans. What bullet / loads would you recommend?????

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Even with a 14" barrel the 375 JDJ is going to be 2200 fps. this is NOT the velocity the 270gr bullets are meant to expand with. The .375 260 grains are meant to be shot from a 375 H&H or larger rifle; so don't expect any expansion.

Really it is like shooting a 375 win rifle. so not surprising the 220 grain bullets usually perform best, re expansion.

I shoot the 270 gr spitzer and have killed boar with it. As an example, on a quartering away shot up-hill, I aimed for the left rear rim, just in front of the rear ham. Bullet when thru everthing including the heart and exited on the front right of the hogs chest. It ran 20 yards up hill then fell 200 yards rolling down the hill. Tenderizing?

For the last 10 years I only shoot head shots on boar under 50 yards, so I've gone to the 220 grain bullet and use it for deer also.

With light loads and the 220 grain bullets it has been deadly on deer out to 153 yards. I keep my deer shots under 200 yards.

Even with a 14" barrel the 375 JDJ is going to be 2200 fps. this is NOT the velocity the 270gr bullets are meant to expand with. The .375 260 grains are meant to be shot from a 375 H&H or larger rifle; so don't expect any expansion.

Really it is like shooting a 375 win rifle. so not surprising the 220 grain bullets usually perform best, re expansion.

I shoot the 270 gr spitzer and have killed boar with it. As an example, on a quartering away shot up-hill, I aimed for the left rear rim, just in front of the rear ham. Bullet when thru everthing including the heart and exited on the front right of the hogs chest. It ran 20 yards up hill then fell 200 yards rolling down the hill. Tenderizing?

For the last 10 years I only shoot head shots on boar under 50 yards, so I've gone to the 220 grain bullet and use it for deer also.

With light loads and the 220 grain bullets it has been deadly on deer out to 153 yards. I keep my deer shots under 200 yards.

BUT, the 270 grain bullet has been the most accurate for me.

HarryS

Thanks for the great info. The area we hunt is wide open where the feeders are but the brush is hellishly thick once they leave the field so blood trails are a must (if not shooting for the head). Would you recommend the 220gr for the expansion and blood trails over the 270?

I read with great interest Harry's thoughts, and I concur completely. For some reason, it seems to me that the JDJ is thought of as a more capable big game cartridge, when in practice it and the rifle fired 375W are twins from the muzzle.

This said, heavy bullet recommendations of the 375 are few and far between. I fooled about once with the 255 Barnes O, and I think that would be a very decent bullet if the velocities could be managed- but otherwise the default is the 22 Hornady.

This 220 Horn is a very decent Bullet, although I think counting on it to through and through every time is a bit of a stretch, and not completely realistic. The short bullets of any manufacture it is a crap shoot depending on conditiions, not enough base on the mushroom to penetrate straight every time.

Might want to look at the 235 Speer, it doesnt get hurt toomuch in the velocity department, and its shape size and construction give it a nice balance. Not generally as accuratte, but I think it would be decent. Another option that I have often considered but never worked, was the 210 Barnes X, whouldnt that be interesting?

X 375 Join the clan. Welcome aboard. The 375JDJ will handle any hog you wish to assault. I have shot a fair number in Texas whilst over there the largest close to 300lb and this year I took it to Slovenia and shot some half grown sows. In Texas on the last trip I used some reloads using Noslers and to be honest I cannot rmember the gr but it was around 230. They were the only box Cabelas at Buda had left because everyone had been on a hording frenzy. The Slovenian rounds used Barnes 250grs TTSXs over 48grns of H322 which out of my 16 1/2 inch barrel was showing 2200fps. I had no complaints from the recipients

Forgot to mention blood trail in centre photo ..that was with the ?? Nosler. Only went about twenty yards with a constant trail to follow.

Again, apologies forgot to include ... the 375JDJ with a short barrel does talk to you; wear good hearing protection and expect just a tad recoil. Mine is mounted as a carbine and has nipped me a couple of times when I have been pushed to get a shot at an awkward angle.

Most places I hunt for hogs, even if open have heavy cover very close. I've trailed lots of hogs, they go to the deepest place and dig in under a heavy bush.

Certainly shooting thru the guard/shoulder is not an easy call, the 220 gr will NOT do it. I don't even know if the 270 grain would do it. I just don't shoot for the shoulder any longer on hogs.

Hog also, like pigs, have a thick layer of fat and a heavy hide, so blood trail seem to "clove up" fast. So the sword like penetration of the solid (aka 270 gr) will not get you a great blood trail. I believe that the 220 grain (or a good cast bullet) will get the job done with solid body shots (no shield). It also has the advantage of expanding and tearing up a lot of vital organs.

In my first post I was hesitant to say what is better. But since you asked. For myself, I would use the 270 grain if going for boar 300# and up. Lots of meat to penetrate, and as I said the 270 always shoot the best. If less than 300# are your hogs size, then I personally would use the 220 gr.

Remember the 375 JdJ isn't really much more that the 375 in a handgun, just more powder, but no place to really burn it. I'd like to get one in a 22" Ruger #1.

I think the 375 win or the 375 JDJ is a fine handgun, just not a hand-cannon as people like to think of it. So as always "shot placement" is the most important thing.

Nice blood trail on the pig. Impressive! I've only seen a blood trail to match that when shooting a pig with a .458 Win mag... quite messy.

Anyway, I have been a fan of cast bullets in the .35 bore and up. With the .375 I would expect very good performance and penetration from a cast bullet in the 220-270gr. range, or thereabouts. My .35 Rem has been pretty deadly on pigs with "only" a 180gr. cast bullet at about 2,300fps.

Harry, I thoroughly agree with your shot placement suggestion. I hit a monster hog down near El Paso and it went down like a bag of you know what, only to suddenly rise up on its back legs and propel itself into the prickly pear. We never did find it. After lots of thought I decided that my shot was too far forward and the hit had knocked out the front legs temporarily but hit no vitals. We did find after 40yrds or so where it had regained the use of one front leg. I have always been very careful to aim back a bit at the rear of the lung area and if possible get a bit of an angle forwards. The scubby old grey hog in the picture was hit in that way and the bullet came out just through the meat on the rear of the off leg. Blew both lungs to smitherines hence a lot of blood from the mouth as well. Having seen the damage that Barnes TTSX did in Slovenia, I would love to see what it would do on a Texas Big Boy.

Awesome info folks. I truely appreciate it. I have the 45 colt here and just got confirmation the T/C Performance center 15" (with brake) 375 JDJ is in the mail. Oh happy days. I just bought all the reloading gear needed (my old stuff was sold by my EX wife) to start loading. I am so juiced right now.

Barnes makes a 235 tsx it is a good bullet I took a bull elk with one in a ultra mag. Another bullet to consider. I have never hunted hogs but I don't se one stopping that bullet at your velocity range.

I got some loading data from Mr. Jones. At the bottom it says to avoid X bullets because they require special loading techniques???? Does that include the triple shock? What are the "special" loading requirements?

I got some loading data from Mr. Jones. At the bottom it says to avoid X bullets because they require special loading techniques???? Does that include the triple shock? What are the "special" loading requirements?

The X bullets, being made of pure copper, are longer and have greater bearing surfaces. Barnes specifically recommend loading at least .050" off the lands, essentially creating a greater "freebore", a la Weatherby chambers. JD recognizes that such nonsense limits powder space and that solid copper bullets have no advantage to the handgun shooter; you're not going to create enough velocity to need one and they probably won't even open up.

The 270gr spire point bullets I mentioned earlier are THE bullet JD, and countless others, have used to take more game with the 375JDJ. In fact, that bullet weight has probably accounted for more game than all other weights, combined. I'm not saying it's the only effective bullet to use, but it's certainly the only one you'd ever need, for that cartridge. :twocents: